Family Ties
by DreamMyFriend
Summary: It has been nearly 50 years since Damon, Elena, and Caroline last saw Stefan. Now, in a surprising turn of events, the three discover that Stefan has children, and many problems (along with questions) that hit close to home begin to arise.
1. Chapter 1

Elena's eyes were bright with excitement as she entered the Salvatore boarding house. Damn, it was good to be back.

She set her bags down and did a quick inspection of the front room. As far as she could tell, everything was in the exact same place it had been when they left nearly half a century ago. The old grandfather clock was still in the corner, the couches hadn't moved an inch, and the center table was still, well... in the center. She drew in a deep breath, cringing slightly at the musty, old scent. Damon had said he hired some cleaning ladies to tidy up the place before they got there, but Elena still noticed a thin layer of dust on almost everything. As far as she was concerned, the boarding house _really_ hadn't changed at all.

Damon came in behind her, dropped his bags, and put his arm around her shoulder. She smiled and leaned into him, a slight feeling of dread filling her stomach. All the worries and insecurities from the night before began to catch up, and she found herself clinging to her on-again, off-again boyfriend.

"Are you sure this will work? I know it's been.. what, 47 years? But still, what if someone recognizes us?" Elena wondered out loud.

Her throat began to sting and Elena fought her hardest to keep back tears. She thought of Stefan and how he had come back to Mystic Falls every 60, 70 years or so. He had gone unrecognized every time, but Elena still worried that some of the now older citizens of Mystic Falls would remember her. It pained her and made her incredibly nervous to be back, but it also brought her a familiar comfort. After years of traveling and discovering the world and herself, Elena Gilbert was finally home. She only wished more of her friends- no- her _family_ could be there with her.

Of the original Mystic Falls group, she, Damon, Caroline, Rebekah, Klaus, and _maybe_ Stefan were the only ones left. Caroline would move in with Damon and Elena tomorrow, Rebekah was back in New Orleans, and Klaus was taking care of "business" somewhere in Europe. And Stefan... well, she hadn't heard from Stefan in almost 40 years. No one had.

Bonnie, Matt, and Tyler had been dead for a long time now. She hoped Stefan hadn't suffered the same fate they did.

Damon planted a quick kiss on her forehead and murmured into her ear, "This will work, trust me. And if after a while you decide you don't want to be here... then we can move."

Elena grinned through her tears and wrapped her arms around Damon's neck. _I'm gonna be happy here_, she thought, _and maybe being back will help me.. move on from Stefan; will make me stop wanting to hear from him just once more_. She hoped to god Damon was right when he said this would work.

* * *

After hours of unpacking, Damon grabbed his keys and headed for the Mystic Grill, happy to be out of the musty house and into the dry, summer night air. After Elena's constant pestering of what should go where and why, being out of her presence was relaxing. Finally living with her again would be an adjustment, but it was an adjustment Damon was happy to make.

As far as he was concerned, the grill hadn't changed a whole lot. Sure, it had updated appliances, new booths, and some new bar stools, but overall it was the same as it was when he last left it. The only thing missing was Alaric, but he wasn't about to go down that road right now. Save the emotional crap for another day.

As he ordered himself a drink, he vaguely wondered what to do about his baby brother's room. He sure as hell didn't think Stefan would come back anytime soon, but he didn't necessarily want to throw everything out either. If by some chance he did show up again, he would be pissed to find out Damon had tossed everything, especially his _precious journals_, which he had so conveniently left behind.

He wanted to hate Stefan for practically dropping off the face of the universe, but all the hatred towards him was overshadowed by his constant worry. He remembered quite well that things hadn't ended on the best of terms between him and his brother, but would his brother really leave his friends and family behind? Blondie would have never let him get away with that, especially after the whole Silas thing was resolved. But Stefan had never called, and after a while, that action went both ways. Everyone had finally given up on hearing from him again.

Damon figured his brother was someplace happy, maybe a girl with him. That was the only logical explanation that Damon would allow himself to accept. He didn't ever want to think about the other option.

As Damon ordered himself another drink, a young woman came and sat down a few seats away from him. She was, in Damon's opinion, an attractive woman, and the youthful spark in her eyes told him she couldn't have been older than 22. Her long, wavy hair bounced slightly as she eagerly ordered a drink, and the bartender asked to see an ID. She nodded, pulled out an ID and pursed her lips while she waited for the bartender to respond.

Finally, he looked up and said with a smile, "Well, looks like you just made the mark. Happy belated birthday, then."

The girl innocently smiled back at him, and gently thanked him.

Though Damon could never quite remember what it was that made him say so, he looked at the woman and said, "Happy Birthday."

She turned, and gave him a sly, almost intimidating look. "Thank you," she retorted, but her words were tasteless and monotonous, as if she were used to responding to strangers in a similar position to Damon's.

There was something about her eyes that was familiar, and Damon stared at her longer than what was probably necessary. She shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry…" Damon said quickly and effortlessly. "There's just something really familiar about you. I didn't catch your name before?".

The girl's expression hardened. "Look," she began, "I really don't mean to be rude, but I'm not… I'm not interested."

Damon shook his head. Didn't she understand he was just genuinely curious?

"I'm not… I'm not trying to get in your pants, I swear. I'm just… I feel like we've met before, and I'm simply wondering your name, that's all."

At that, she seemed to slightly relax and finally she muttered, "Genevieve. My name's Gen."

"Genevieve….?" Damon pressured.

"Salvatore."

Damon felt his breath hitch in his throat and he had to swallow a few times before finally being able to slip out "oh". Salvatore…? No, that couldn't be right. It was probably just a coincidence that this girl shared the same last name… and happened to be in Mystic Falls. But her eyes… her eyes told him otherwise. They were the same leafy green as his brother's, and much like his sibling's, they told a story filled with both joyous and sorrowful moments. They twinkled like his brother's did, and held the same guilt and regret. But… it was impossible. Vampires couldn't reproduce. It was as simple as that. That was what the rule had always been; there was no way to change that… unless, had Stefan found some other cure?

"This is gonna come across as a little creepy, so I'm sorry, but w-who are your parents?" Damon finally asked.

Genevieve turned again to face him, and Damon saw her face contort to a pained a saddened expression. Her face told Damon not to ask, but he pressured on. "Please? I think I might know them, I'm just curious."

Finally, she sighed and responded coolly, "That depends on who's asking."

Damon smiled. At least the girl wasn't dumb. "I'm Damon. I used to live here, and I've just recently moved back."

He watched with anticipation as the girl processed what he said. Her eyes lit up a little bit, and she looked straight at him, her eyes piercing his confidence and making him squirm.

"Damon Salvatore?" she questioned.

He nodded.

"Oh my god…" she breathed and brought her hand up to chest where she fingered a silver chain. "You're my dad's brother, aren't you?"

"That depends," Damon responded. "Is your father Stefan?"

She nodded slowly and then quickly stood up, grabbing her small bag. "I need to go."

Damon stood up to and followed her out to the parking lot where he called, "Wait!"

Gen whipped around and shook her head. "I really don't need to be involved with you."

Damon loudly sighed and said, "Can we at least talk, just a little bit? You're my niece."

And the reality of what he had just said hit Damon hard. This girl was his niece. The offspring of his baby brother. But Stefan… Stefan had chose to keep Damon out of this girl's life, out of his own. The sense of rejection and loss was like a dull knife slowly entering Damon's chest. The longer he stared at Genevieve, the deeper the knife went, and the more it pained him. Stefan didn't want his brother to be a part of his life. And, well… that hurt.

Finally, Gen's eyes softened and her voice was gentle. "I know how things ended between you and my father. I'm just wary, that's all. I came here for a reason, and that wasn't to meet you."

Damon ran his hand over his face, remembering how he himself had rejected Stefan oh so long ago. Had it been fair for his baby brother to keep Damon away?

_I deserve it_, Damon thought._ I deserve to feel this way. This is how Stefan felt, so now it's time for me to feel shitty and rejected._

"Then why did you come here?" Damon asked.

"To help my... my brother. I need to find someone," she responded quickly. "Someone both you and my dad knew. I can't find her though."

"And who exactly are you looking for? Maybe I can help."

She sighed, then muttered slowly, "Bonnie Bennett."

Damon nodded, biting his tongue to keep back his surprise at her lack of knowledge. Bonnie Bennett had died a long time ago. But apparently Gen didn't know that. Damon seized the opportunity.

"Look. I know Bonnie. I can hook you up with her, but I just want to talk to you first, that's all. Once we talk, I'll take you to her."

Although the first part of that statement was false, the second part reeked of honesty. Damon did want to talk. With each passing second, a new question arose and he had to almost pinch himself to keep from asking it. There was so much he didn't know, and odds were this girl knew the answers.

"I won't ask you to ride in my car; you can follow me with your's. Come back to the boarding house. Meet Elena. Tomorrow you can meet Caroline. I'm sure you've heard of her, yes? I promise you I just want to talk."

After a moment of hesitation, Gen finally nodded and Damon quickly hopped in his car, silently hoping she wouldn't call out and change her mind.

To Damon's relief, she didn't, and he stepped on the gas.


	2. Chapter 2

He was deathly silent, as still as the night itself. His body was crouched, hiding, waiting. A hunger was brewing within him, and it burned languidly, tore at his sanity. He needed it, and she had it; it pulsed through her veins in a steady flow and mocked his steady and unfulfilling hunger.

The girl sauntered down the street, her feet scratching and scuffing the ground. Even from nearly 30 feet away, he could still smell the alcohol on her breath. She would be an easy target, he knew. Good. The drunker the better.

His steps were unusually quiet as he came out of the valley, but the girl spotted him instantly. At first her eyes were fearful, but as he came closer and she could take in his appearance, her eyes began to reflect interest. She cocked her head and absently licked her lips. Her mind was open, free… unsuspecting. Her thoughts reeked of greed, sex, and booze.

He smiled.

"A little late for you to be out alone, isn't it?" he asked, faking his curiosity.

She matched his smile.

"I could ask you the same question."

And then, in the blink of an eye, the distance between them was closed and her expression twisted into a horrified frown. Her mouth gaped open and she tried desperately to scream, but he forcefully shut her mouth and covered it with his own icy, pale hand.

"There's no reason for you to be afraid," he reassured her, and she began to relax.

Then, without much thought, he found his mouth pressed against her neck.

He kissed her at first, trying to comfort her, but it didn't take long for his fangs to pierce her neck. She gasped, but eventually melted into his grip while he worked at the flesh, tearing it open slowly, letting each new rush of delicious crimson liquid slip effortlessly down his throat.

_This_ was what he lived for. And no one, not _anyone_, would ever be able to understand how much he needed it. Each person was a new drug waiting to supply him with a new high. Their life was delicate, fragile, like a twig, and deciding whether to snap it or not was a game he loved to play. It was ultimately his choice whether they lived or died, and that ability… it was euphoric. Each kill left him drunk with power and the desire to kill again.

Finally, the girl's breathing stopped. He held her limp body to himself. That was all she was now. A body. Whatever life essence that had once occupied it was now gone. Why should he feel bad for leaving her shell in the street?

Without a second thought, he dropped the body and fled the alley.

* * *

"So you're… Stefan's daughter?"

Elena felt her face flush with an embarrassing anger. She knew she shouldn't be angry at this girl; she had no real reason to be, but her heart was pounding in her ears and she found herself uncomfortably tugging at the hem of her dress as she sat on the couch in the front parlor.

The girl, no- _Genevieve_ nodded shyly.

Elena forced a smile. More than anything she didn't want to believe it. Like her anger, it was embarrassing, but… she found herself slightly jealous of this girl. Odds were Gen had captured a lot of, if not all, of Stefan's love and Elena realized suddenly that she too wanted to be loved by him.

_Stop it_, she thought to herself suddenly. _I'm being selfish… and my god, what is_ wrong_ with me?_

"I don't understand how that's even possible. Did he adopt you? Do you have a mother?" Elena asked, and then realized those probably weren't the best questions to start with.

Gen didn't seem to mind though. Instead, she made a sound similar to a chuckle and said, "He didn't adopt me. And yes. I… have a mother. He and my mother were together a long time, actually. And their love was…" she laughed. "It was truly extraordinary, as cheesy as that sounds."

This time, Damon was the one to smile, and he asked, "But how did you even come to exist? Vampires can't reproduce."

Genevieve closed her eyes and grinned. "My parents were vampires together for about, oh… 20 years or so. From what I understand, they met a year after my dad left Mystic Falls. After they were together for awhile, they decided to look for a cure together. And after 20 years, they finally found it. From someone named Bonnie Bennett, an old friend of my dad's."

"_Bonnie_?" Elena asked, shocked. Had her friend really helped Stefan and not told the rest of them about it?

"Yes, Bonnie."

"I- uh, okay," Damon muttered. "So Bonnie helped my brother out. And he and his lady-friend became human. Then what?"

"His_ lady-friend_," Gen said bitterly, "quickly became his wife. And about 5 years later, they found out they were expecting. They were still young, but it wasn't really… they didn't feel like they were _too_ young. They had lived for so long that they were ready for pretty much anything, including my brother and I."

"So you and your brother are twins?" Damon asked.

Gen nodded, and once again, Elena felt a twinge of jealousy pierce her. Next to her, Damon cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together.

"And your parents… where are they now?"

Gen's face went blank for a moment, and then she let out a long, shaky sigh.

"I really don't want to talk about that."

Elena was tempted to press on, but bit her tongue. It was only fair to stay out of Gen's business. She bitterly recognized that she and Damon and everyone else weren't a part of Stefan's life anymore, and what happened to him was no longer meant to concern her.

"Alright," Damon said. "You mentioned you wanted to help your brother. Why? Why does he need help?"

"He doesn't _want_ to be helped," Gen said coldly. "But he needs it."

Elena shook her head. "I don't… I don't understand."

Gen cringed and rubbed her eyes.

"My brother has… lost his way, and he can't seem to find his way back. He turned, about 2 years ago. M-my parents helped him with his transition. It was hard for him, and for all of us really, but we got through it. He dealt with it. And he was fine. But… but he's lost his mind. He has killed… countless amounts of people. Men, women… even children. And he won't stop. I've tried. I've tried so hard to help him but he won't let me. And the only way I can see myself fixing this is by shoving down his throat the same cure my parents took. That's why I need to talk to Bonnie. I need to get the same cure she gave my parents. As far as I know, she's the only one powerful enough to make it again," Gen finally finished.

"Alright," Damon said quickly. "We'll help you find Bonnie, but we can't just get a hold of her tonight. Where are you staying?"

"I was planning on staying in the motel just outside of town."

Damon nodded. "Why don't you stay here?"

Genevieve shyly grinned. "I don't… I don't know. I probably shouldn't. But..." She sighed. "Maybe I will. I guess I'm comfortable enough. If you don't mind, of course."

Elena spoke up this time. "Of course you can stay. Up the stairs, first door on the left is a spare bedroom. I'll get you some clean sheets in a minute. You can go get your stuff from the car and take it up, if you'd like."

Gen nodded, muttered "thank you", and left the room.

Elena turned toward Damon.

"What the actual hell?" She she said partly to herself and partly to Damon.

He just shook his head and shrugged. Why was it he even wanted to talk to her? Stefan obviously didn't want his brother and the rest of them involved, so why would Damon even bring her back to the boarding house?

"Damon… why did you lie to her about Bonnie?" Elena finally asked, a bitter tint to her voice.

Damon looked up at Elena from his spot on the couch and shrugged.

"Why not?"

"_Why not_?"

"Yeah, why not? Why not lie to her for now? She wasn't going to stick around unless I gave her some sort of reason to."

"But why do you even want her to stick around? Why not just tell her that Bonnie is dead and let her be on her way? I just… I get that she's Stefan's daughter, but… we don't _know_ her Damon. And the man she knows as her father is not the man you and I remember."

"She's my _niece_, Elena. And she and her brother are the only part of Stefan that I have left. I mean hell, you saw her eyes. They're the same as Stefan's, Elena. They have the same dark hair. And I would let her be on her way but I'm not sure we'll ever see her or Stefan, for that matter, again. It kills me to say it, but I'm not so sure he's even alive anymore. You saw her face." His voice cracked slightly.

As Damon stared shamefully at the floor, Elena strode over and took the spot on the couch next to him. Finally, she put her arms around his shoulders and gave him an innocent hug. She knew what it was like to lose a brother; she knew the pain that followed you around and never really left you, no matter how hard you tried to ignore it.

_And he doesn't even know_, Elena thought. _He doesn't even know if he's dead or not. And maybe he'll never know. He has no closure._

Genevieve then walked in with her bags, saw the embrace between the two, and mumbled "sorry" underneath her breath.

Elena smiled, stood up, and walked Genevieve to the stairs.

"I'll get you some clean sheet and help you put them on," Elena said warmly.

The two girls were just about to climb the stairs when Damon called, "Hey Gen?"

The younger Salvatore of the two turned.

"Did your dad ever talk about me? I know that's probably not the… the best thing to ask, but I'm just curious."

Genevieve smiled.

"He did talk about you, yeah. Quite a bit." She chuckled. "Actually, my brother's middle name is Damon."

Elena saw Damon's eyes light up a bit.

"So what he told you then, it wasn't all bad? Even after what happened?"

"Goodness no. No, he never really talked badly of you. He told my brother and I how everything ended between you two, but even then, he said he never really stayed mad at you."

"Then why didn't he ever call?"

"He didn't think you'd want to talk."

"Oh."

"But Damon…" Gen added. "He loved you. He did. Please don't doubt that."

After a moment of memory-inducing silence, Elena finally nudged Gen towards the stairs and the two descended.

_Damon loves you, too, Stefan._ Elena thought. _He really does._

* * *

**Hello! Thanks everyone for the positive reviews! I have to say, they really,****_ really_**** inspire me to keep writing, so please leave a review! (Constructive criticism always welcome.) I plan on introducing the mother a little more, so stay tuned for that. But again, thank you for being interested and thanks for the positive feedback. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

"Hi! I'm Caroline!"

Genevieve smiled at the perky blonde who eagerly offered her a hand. She _was_ like her father had described: optimistic, bright, and energetic.

Gen offered Caroline her own hand.

"It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you," Gen responded casually.

"Oh so you_ have_ heard of me," Caroline said with a smile. "Well good! I don't have to spend too much time introducing myself then. I've heard a bit about you from Elena already. I just… I can't wrap my head around this."

Gen nodded slowly, unsure of what to say.

"So did your… dad tell you about all of us?"

"Yes," Gen answered. "He talked about you guys quite a bit, actually. He was particularly fond of you. He used to go on and on about what a great friend you had been to him and how much you helped him… loosen up, I guess."

Caroline looked at the small fire growing in the fireplace, then sighed deeply and sat down. Gen, Damon, and Elena did the same.

"I know this maybe isn't the best thing to bring up right away, and I know Elena and Damon already asked you this and didn't get an answer, so I probably shouldn't ask, but… what happened to your parents, Gen? I think we all just need some closure here. So, please. You don't have to go into great detail. We just really want to know."

Gen exhaled deeply, trying to rid of the knot growing in her stomach. _This_ was what she had dreaded answering. The truth had to be spoken. Sure, the response she would give wouldn't be all that painful for the three sitting in front of her, but for Gen, bringing up the situation still made her tremble with sadness and loneliness.

"Um…," she said softly. "Well you'll be happy to know that my dad is still around. Unfortunately… I can't say the same about my mother."

From the corner of her eye, Genevieve saw Elena's face twist into a pained expression, and Caroline's did the same. Damon's expression was unreadable.

"I'm so sorry," Elena whispered. "I know losing a parent isn't easy. I'm... I'm really sorry."

"How are you and the rest of your family doing?" Caroline asked, and her voice cracked.

Gen was moved by the compassion being showed.

"_Me_?" Gen asked. "I'm… I'm doing fine. It was about a year ago. So I've had time to adjust, I guess. Life goes on. I miss her, more than anything. But I'm doing alright."

She let out a shaky sigh. "My father had a really hard time with it. He says he's okay, but I don't really think he is. He just says that to try and make me feel better. My brother Luke… actually my mother's death was the final thing that… that pushed him over the edge."

"So Stefan's gotta be- what, in his forties now?" Damon said suddenly. His eyes were laden with anticipation.

"No," the younger Salvatore replied. "I didn't mention the catch that came along with the cure."

"Catch?"

"Yes, the catch. When my parents took the cure, it did everything except eliminate one factor. The cure wasn't strong enough to purify my parent's blood. Technically, even after they were cured and no longer had to live off of human blood and lost their vampire strength, there was still vampire blood flowing through their veins. I'm not entirely sure how that works, but that's the way it was. My brother and I are the same way. When my brother died, he didn't have any vampire give him any blood. It was already in his system, so he just… changed. If I die, the same thing will happen to me."

"Oh my _gosh_," Caroline breathed. "That's awful."

"It's unfortunate, yes, but that's just the way things are. And… my parents were protective, but they were realistic, too. They didn't shelter us, by any means. They let us live our lives."

"So… Stefan isn't in his forties. He's…?" Damon questioned.

"He's forever 29. My mom is- _was_ forever 33, until just last year."

Caroline shook her head. "Your mom and dad turned when you were little, then. You would have been 7, right?"

"Right," Gen answered.

"But what _happened_?" Elena said hoarsely.

"There was a car accident. They went out for a date night and got hit head on by a drunk driver. The doctors couldn't explain how they both were miraculously unscathed. They called it a miracle. And at home... it was odd at first. Both mom and dad struggled a little bit, but they pulled it together and things went back to normal."

Gen sadly laughed.

"It was funny, though, once we started getting older. Obviously once it got to a certain point they couldn't pass as our parents anymore. So we moved, once, maybe twice, and… we had some weird cover stories."

"Why didn't they just find Bonnie again and get another cure?" Damon asked.

"I think part of it was that they didn't want to bother her. And I think the other part was that… they felt like they blew their chance. I think they thought they didn't deserve another shot, even though that isn't really true. It wasn't their fault they turned again."

"Huh. But your mother," Caroline replied. "What happened? How did she pass?"

"There were some other vampires tracking our family. They had heard about the cure and wanted it, too. I guess when my parents told them they didn't have anything for them, they killed my mom, and almost my dad, but he managed to kill them first. I wasn't there when she died. The important thing is, nobody will bother our family anymore."

"And your dad. Where is he?" Damon asked.

"Tracking my brother. As far as I know Luke doesn't know dad is following him. I suggested we find another cure for him, to stop him. My dad was reluctant but let me go off on my own to search for Bonnie while he followed my brother and cleaned up his tracks. Eventually I found out that the last place she was spotted living in was Mystic Falls."

Gen saw a look of confusion cross the faces of Damon, Elena, and Caroline.

"What is it?" Genevieve pressed.

Damon exhaled slowly and looked over to Elena, who then looked to Caroline. The blonde nodded.

"Well…" Damon said slowly. "I hate to be the one to break this to you, but Bonnie is dead, Gen. She died about 10 years ago. I'm sorry, I guess your dad didn't know."

Genevieve brought her hand up to her mouth. No, Bonnie wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. Bonnie Bennett was the only one who could save her brother… and dammit, Gen was running out of options.

"You're lying, right?" Gen spat out. "You can't be serious. She's the only one who can help Luke."

Her bottom lip began to quiver.

_No_, she thought. _I will not cry_.

She bit her lip to stop it from trembling.

"The thing is, we want to help you," Damon said gently. "And maybe we can. We can find another witch who's powerful enough."

"But Bonnie was only powerful enough because she came back from the dead, right? That was what made her so powerful. She had conquered death. A long time ago, sure, but she had still done it. Do you know of another witch who has done that?" Genevieve argued.

"We'll figure something out," Damon muttered.

So Gen, despite the growing anger deep within her, clasped her hands and nodded. It was no use arguing anymore. And obviously these people wanted to help, so why not let them?

_I'll have to tell dad Bonnie is dead_, Gen thought. _And I'll have to tell him I've met his family. But he doesn't even know I'm in Mystic Falls…_

"Alright," Gen said flatly, but she was beginning to question whether or not everything really would work out.

* * *

The girl's neck was twisted at an odd angle, and Stefan gently pushed it back into place. He had finally caught up with his son, but Luke had struck and killed before Stefan had a chance to do anything about it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to the girl, as he had whispered to so many other victims that he couldn't save.

It pained him, really; watching his son go off the deep end as Stefan had done so many times himself. He knew that when, not if, Luke came back from this, he would be overcome with guilt. He knew his son. He knew the blood was making him act like a completely different person. But he knew that out of anybody, Luke was the one most likely to pull himself together.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

_I'm sorry I let it come to this_, Stefan thought._ I'm sorry I couldn't stop you before it was too late. But I'm trying to help you. You just have to let me_.

"You're sorry?"

Stefan whipped his head around, and his eyes met the icy gaze of Luke.

_It still hurts to look at you_, Stefan thought. _I still see her in you. And god, it hurts_.

"Yes," Stefan replied calmly, trying to hide his surprise. "I'm sorry you've let the blood turn you into a different person. I'm sorry you won't let me help you."

Luke laughed, a high-pitched, mocking sound that made Stefan's blood boil.

"You think the blood is making me act different? Did it ever occur to you that maybe it brings out the true me? The _real_ me?"

"This isn't you," Stefan said, his frustration growing.

Luke shook his head. "You must think I'm an idiot, don't you father? You think I don't know that you've been trailing me?"

Stefan remained still, trying to steady his breathing.

Luke laughed again, and before Stefan had time to comprehend what was happening, his son was pushing him against a wall, Luke's forearm pressed against Stefan's chest.

"I think," Luke breathed, "You'll maybe want to reconsider following me. It would be such a tragedy for Gen to lose both of her parents, wouldn't it?"

"You'll kill me?" Stefan asked calmly. "Your own father? That's a little low, don't you think?"

Luke's blue eyes lingered on Stefan's face, his expression unreadable.

_You're nothing like her_, Stefan thought,_ You have your mother's eyes, her wavy golden hair, but right now, there's nothing left of her in you_.

But, for a moment, Stefan thought maybe he_ had_ hit something, _anything,_ that would make Luke question his actions. But Luke smiled his cruel, flashy smile again, and any hope Stefan had vanished.

"Yes," he said. "I'll kill you. And maybe even Gen. Maybe I'll even kill her first. Maybe I'll make you watch while I tear out those pretty little green eyes of hers. Does that sound fun, father? Hearing your daughter cry and scream and not be able to do anything about it?"

Stefan pursed his lips. "Luke, please. Think about what you're doing."

"I have thought, dad. And this is what I want. This is what I need. And there's nothing you can do to stop me from getting what I want."

He reached into his leather jacket and brought out a small, wooden stake.

Stefan's heart began to pound. Would he really do it? Would he really kill his own father?

Luke stared blankly at the stake, then grinned. Swiftly and gracefully he plunged it into Stefan's lower abdomen.

Stefan heaved forward, letting out a shameful whimper.

Luke let go, stepped back, and wiped his bloodied hand on his shirt.

"Next time,_ father_, I won't miss your heart."

* * *

**Hi all! Hopefully this chapter is somewhat satisfying. I've been busy with school lately, so I'll try my best to update as soon as possible, but hopefully you'll understand if it's a while before I update again. As long as I keep getting some feedback from you guys (good or bad), I plan on continuing with this story, so leave some reviews! Thanks again for your support! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

"So this is it, huh? You're sure you're ready for this?"

"Of course I am. Are _you_?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You have to ask?"

"I just want to make sure, that's all."

They joined hands, and he leaned in to kiss her as he had so many times before. The taste of her lips was all too familiar, but even after she pulled away, he still felt a tingle and warmth that only the imprint of her lips left.

She was different. She was. No girl would ever compare to her, and of course it made sense for him to ask her to be his wife. So here they were with just a few other people in a small chapel in Norfolk, Virginia, holding hands and eagerly awaiting the moment they would be eternally joined together.

The overwhelming happiness he felt was overshadowing the underlying worry that there might not be a tomorrow for the two of them. The girl standing next his soon-to-be-wife had offered them a way out of their curse, and they had decided to take the offer regardless of the consequences.

This was it. The moment they had both been waiting for.

And then he was looking at them; the beautiful, _beautiful_ result of the love they shared. Their eyes were wide, innocent, full of wonder and curiosity.

"Jane…" he breathed. "He looks just like you."

"And she looks just like you, doesn't she?"

"Nah, she has your face."

"But she has your eyes and your hair."

He laughed. "I guess she does."

He gently reached for his son's hand. The baby took hold of his father's finger, gurgling and smiling with delight.

The grip grew tighter, and suddenly he was looking down at his son, only he was no longer a baby. His blue eyes were wide with panic, and he was choking and sputtering on his own blood. The older man knelt down to his son and gripped his hand tightly, just as he had done on the boy's first day of kindergarten.

"It's okay," the man said. "It's okay. It's gonna be alright. Just hang in there."

But the boy was shaking, trembling, and his teeth were chattering. His eyes desperately searched his father's face; what for, his father didn't know, but suddenly the tight grip went slack. The older man watched with horror and dismay as his son's eyes became unfocused and blank, and he began to cry. He had let his son down. He couldn't protect him as he promised he would.

His son would wake up, but to a new form of living hell.

Then, the boy's eyes flicked open and the two men stood up. The young man began shouting at his father, words that his father could not understand. And the boy was crying; he was viciously sobbing with anger and despair, so the older man reached out to his son. With disgust, the boy jerked away and reached into his jacket.

He slowly pulled out a wooden stake.

With gracefulness and elegance, the boy plunged the stake into his father's heart.

* * *

Stefan's eyes fluttered open and he gasped, sitting straight up in bed. He hand immediately went to his chest, where he relieved to find nothing; no stake, no blood, no wound.

A long sigh escaped Stefan's lips. Faintly, he heard the buzzing of a phone and he reached over to the motel bed stand where his cell lay. The screen read "Gen", and he quickly hit the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Dad?"

"Hi, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay. But she's dead. Bonnie is dead."

Stefan rubbed at his eyes with his free hand, trying to stop them from stinging. He cleared his throat.

"You're sure?"

"Yes. What are we going to do?"

He thought for a moment. What _were_ they going to do? Bonnie had been their last chance, their last hope. And now… she was gone.

"We'll need to meet up. Where are you?"

Silence.

"Genevieve?"

She sighed. "I'm in Mystic Falls. I'm with your family. And I'm fine, don't worry."

Now it was her turn to be met with silence. Stefan bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't bring himself to be mad. And why should he be? She was safe. Obviously his brother and whoever else had taken care of her, and that was all that mattered. He began to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I'm just glad you're okay, that's all. I'll meet you there. You're at the boarding house, yes?"

"Yes… but what about Luke? Are you still following him?"

"I need to take a break from that for a while. He figured out I was trailing him and… and I think it would be best if I took a short break until we figure out something else."

She sighed. "OK. Alright, I'll talk to you soon then. Be safe. Love you."

"Love you too. I'll see you soon."

He hung up.

Mystic Falls, Virginia… that was someplace he hadn't thought of for a long time. And, if he was being honest with himself, Stefan was looking forward to going back. Though he would never admit it out loud, his missed his brother, he missed Caroline, and… he supposed he even missed Elena. With overwhelming relief, Stefan realized that the fight he and his brother had had so long ago would no longer be of _any_ importance. What was happening now was much too important to let some old, and in Stefan's opinion, ridiculous fight cause any sort of tension.

Stefan had let go of his grudge long ago. He sincerely hoped Damon and Elena had done the same.

He swung his feet over the cheap bed and stood up, swaying sleepily. Walking around the room, Stefan picked up his things, threw on a clean shirt, and headed to the main office to check out.

While he stood packing his bag into the back of the car, Stefan caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye. When he turned to fully take in the figure, his eyes found no such thing.

_Luke_? he thought helplessly.

No, it couldn't be Luke. His son was probably off wreaking havoc in some other town.

_Maybe I should find him again_, Stefan thought. _Maybe I should keep following him_.

But Stefan's mind kept replaying Luke's threat over and over and over again. He would kill Gen if Stefan was caught following him again. Stefan had no doubt about that. His _real_ son, the one who was gentle, compassionate, and unbelievably empathetic, was gone, but Stefan would do whatever it took to get him back.

Eager to return to Mystic Falls, Stefan began the long drive home.

* * *

Caroline sat patiently in the front parlor waiting for a knock at the door.

Finally, _finally_, Stefan had called. And he had called_ her_. Not Damon. Not Elena. Caroline. And well… that made Caroline feel especially… special.

Damon and Elena knew at this point, of course, that Stefan was coming home. Damon had been slightly shocked by the news, but Elena hadn't seem too surprised. In fact, Elena's reaction had been quite dispassionate, and Caroline had to wonder what was going through her friend's mind. Had Elena been pleased, disappointed, or neutral about the situation…? Caroline, for the first time in a long time, could not tell.

And then there was Gen, who had been particularly happy about the return of her father.

_Of course she's happy_, Caroline thought. _Her dad is coming home. Why shouldn't she be?_

As is on cue, Genevieve entered the room, smiling with delight.

"I cleaned my dad's room."

Caroline chuckled. "And you're happy about that?"

"Yes, I'm happy. I haven't seen him in a while. It's been a few months, and cleaning the room so it's decent when he gets here… it makes the fact that I'm going to see him again more real."

"I guess I can understand that," Caroline replied.

Gen laughed. "He has a lot of stuff."

"Yes, he does."

The younger Salvatore plopped down on the couch next to Caroline. The girls had had a chance to talk over the past few days, and Caroline had learned a bit about Stefan's daughter and what life was like for her. Hearing Gen speak of what life had once been for the Salvatore family immersed a deep sadness within the blonde, but Caroline could easily relate to some of the situations the young girl had been through. Gen spoke more of her mother and how Stefan had dealt with it, and Caroline made a mental note to talk to Stefan about it later, providing things wouldn't be too awkward.

As the minutes rolled by, Caroline became increasingly worried about who exactly the Stefan that showed up would be. She had assumed all along that Stefan would simply be the same, but like a static shock, Caroline realized that would not be the case.

A gloominess crept upon her, and she sighed.

"How different is your dad going to be?" Caroline spat out before she had a chance to stop herself.

Gen glanced at Caroline with slight confusion.

"I don't think I can answer that question. He's always been my dad, you know? I haven't really known him as anything else."

"Right. Sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. I assume you're worried he won't be the same?"

Caroline sadly laughed. "Yeah, actually. You're pretty spot on."

"Well," Gen said slowly, "I don't think you should be too worried. I think you'll be surprised."

"I hope you're right."

After a few moments of silence, a soft knock at the front door was heard.

"That's him, right?" Caroline asked, her voice laced with fear.

Genevieve chuckled. "Probably. Just relax. Really."

So, while Gen went to get the door, Caroline sat uneasily, unsure of whether or not stand or sit or leave the room. At the sound of Stefan's voice, she turned and saw him give a warm embrace to his daughter, who was clinging to her father, her eyes squeezed shut.

The two stood like that for a moment, and Caroline slowly made her way over to where they stood, ignoring Damon and Elena's approaching footsteps behind her.

Finally, Stefan let go of Gen and smiled. "Hi, Caroline."

She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Hi."

And suddenly she was walking very quickly towards him, and her arms were wrapped innocently around his waist, eager to feel his warmth once more. When Caroline pulled away, she placed her hands on his shoulders and observed his face, which didn't look a whole lot different. He had the same hair, same build… only now there were a few more wrinkles, but he still didn't look any older than 25.

"I really missed you," she uttered.

"And I missed _you_," he said with a genuine smile.

From behind Caroline, Damon emerged, and the smile on Stefan's face altered slightly. A look of understanding and contentedness passed between the two, and Damon quickly hugged his brother. The embrace was short yet sweet, and it was enough for Caroline to get the feeling that Damon really _had_ missed his brother.

Elena walked slowly over the rest of the group, her expression unreadable. Finally, her lips broke into a small smile, and she gently wrapped her arms around Stefan.

"Hi," Elena whispered, and Caroline was surprised to see her friend's eyes brimmed with tears.

The tension was gone, and Caroline seized the opportunity to compare Genevieve to Stefan. The resemblance was definitely there, and a warmth flooded her chest.

"My god, you two look like each other," Caroline breathed, and Stefan smiled.

"I guess. She has her mother's face though. She just has my eyes, that's all. And the dark hair."

The group slowly made their way to the couches. Damon was the first to speak.

"So, I assume you know Bonnie is dead, right Stefan?"

Stefan nodded.

"Alright, well… let's get to the point, then. We need to find another witch to help Luke. Elena and I have been in contact with a few old friends of Bonnie's, and we've been pointed in the direction of a woman named Emma. I guess she's the most powerful witch everyone can currently think of, so I say we go to see her. The others gave us her number, and the area code suggests she isn't too far from here. Are we up for that?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Dad?" Gen said, turning to look at her father.

Caroline felt her flesh break into goosebumps. Yes, it would take a while to get used to hearing Stefan being called "dad".

Stefan sighed, then shrugged. "I guess we could. It certainly wouldn't hurt to at least talk to her."

So Damon stood up, took out his phone, and left the room, yelling, "I'll call her now."

Stefan cleared his throat and said, "I can't thank you guys enough for helping. I… I really can't."

"Oh shut up," Caroline said playfully, punching Stefan on the arm. "We're in this together now."

And that last statement was so honest it made Caroline slightly afraid. They_ were_ going to do this together, and there was no going back.

* * *

**Hi! Thanks again for the reviews. I have a very clear idea of where this story is going, so keep tuning in! And let me know what you think of this chapter. I appreciate all of the reviews you guys leave. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Luke stood in the shadows, careful not to make any sound. In the distance, he saw his father slowly step into the boarding house, and he watched with amusement as his father and sister embraced each other before shutting the door behind them.

Little Genevieve. No- not little- _naive_ Genevieve. That was what she was. She so innocently believed that Luke was still the same person, that this was just a masquerade to hide the pain he felt. She was just like their father; self-righteous and overly optimistic. Did she really believe Luke would ever go back to his boring self? Apparently so, and Luke couldn't help but snicker. If things went his way, her constant pestering would soon come to an end, as would her life.

He had thought long and hard about the decision, of course. Choosing to kill his own sister had stirred an inner-war within himself, but Luke had decided after careful consideration that ending her would be beneficial not just for his own sake, but hers as well. He knew quite well that Genevieve would not stop until he was "back to normal". She would try and try for months, years, _decades_ maybe to "fix" him, and Luke genuinely wanted to spare her the trouble. Her determination would rip away any shot she had of living a decent life, and as far as he was concerned, she was better off dead than having wasted her whole life.

It was complicated logic, yet it made all the sense in the world to Luke.

As for his father… he would be devastated by the loss of his daughter. And, if all went well, Stefan would give up all hope of ever saving his son and finally leave Luke alone.

So he waited by the boarding house until dark, using his superlative vision to look through the windows, watching his sister and father readjust to living in the same house together. It was interesting, really, seeing the way his father acted around everyone but Gen. There was something a little unrelaxed about his movements… was there still tension? No, not tension. Luke slyly grinned when he realized his father was slightly shy around these people. He supposed it made sense. It had been… what, almost 50 years since his father had last seen them?

Luke sighed, boredom creeping upon him. He would kill Gen, but now was not the right moment.

_I'll give her some time_, he thought. _Let her spend some time with dad and then end her_.

He smirked, then disappeared farther into the shadows.

* * *

"Hey."

Elena hesitantly sauntered into Stefan's room where Stefan was prodding and sorting through his desk. He glanced at her, smiled, then turned back to his work.

"Hi," he said softly.

"What are you doing?"

He chuckled. "Looking for the keys to the Ferrari. I doubt the car still works, but I still wanna start it up, give it a shot."

"Yeah, of course." Elena fumbled for words. "Are you... ready to see Emma tomorrow?"

Stefan nodded, his lips breaking into a small smile. "Yeah, I am. I'm hopeful she'll be able to help. I… I don't know what to do if she can't."

"Have you tried what Lexi used to do with you? The Ripper detox thing…? That seemed to work for you a few times."

Stefan shook his head, and at barely a whisper he said, "No. I can't do that to my own kid. I just can't. Maybe that doesn't make sense to you, but I just… I won't do that."

Elena nodded, letting the subject drop. The silence that stretched on was uncomfortable, and she searched for something, _anything_ to say. Stefan drummed his fingers on his thigh, looking off at something only he could see.

"How are things between you and Damon?"

The question took Elena off guard, and the words stuck in her throat. Why was it so hard to talk about this?

"Um…," she began. "Alright. We just got back together about a month ago, so… we're still learning to live with one another. It's different this time. We spent some time apart and I think we both grew up a little bit."

"Are you happy?" Stefan asked gently.

"Yeah, I am," Elena replied. "It'll take some work to… to keep it that way, but I think we're both happy for the time being."

"Good."

More silence.

"Look, Stefan… I just want to say this right away. I'm sorry things ended the way they did. I am. I just don't want things to be awkward, that's all."

Stefan huffed, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "No, I'm sorry. I'm not helping. I'm just getting used to seeing you all again, that's all. I'm sorry. And what happened- it was stupid. And it was a mess. And I let go."

"Good," Elena responded. "I think Damon and I let go too."

"Good."

Elena ambled over to the bed and sat down, smoothing the creases in her jeans. She laughed, and Stefan furrowed his brow.

"What is it?"

"It's just that this is all so crazy. Damon meets some girl at the grill and then it turns out she's your _daughter._ And she has a brother who's… a little lost, and now you're back and we thought you were dead but you're not. And we found out you were married…."

Stefan cringed slightly.

"Oh- I'm sorry, Stefan."

He shook his head. "No, no. Don't be sorry. I don't know why I still…" He sighed. "It's taking some time to move on, that's all."

Elena sadly nodded, her chest filling with a dull ache. If _she_ felt this bad about Stefan's loss, she couldn't imagine what Stefan himself felt.

"Well… I don't think you'll move on, Stefan. When we lose someone that's important to us, we get through it, but we never move on. I think it's impossible to. But you'll get through it, just give it time."

Stefan cocked his head, then sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"What was she like?" Elena asked, genuinely curious.

He grinned. "Ah… she was… great. You know, after we were together for a while, I just _knew_ she was different. I knew I wanted to spend eternity with her. And she was so good at being a vampire, too. When I wasn't exactly whole, she would put me back together. Jane… she always knew what to do and what to say, especially around the kids, which is something I envy now more than ever."

He smiled.

"And when we turned human, the roles reversed a little. She had a hard time being human, whereas I handled it a little better. So I got to… to help her, which was scary but it added a whole new dimension to our relationship, you know? And Jane was strong. A natural born leader. She could have led an army, if she had to. Gen is the same way."

His smile faded.

"The night that she died… those vampires came, and I watched them drive a stake through her heart. I watched the light leave her eyes. I watched the constant hope and optimism she had leave her, and when it left her... it left me. I just… I didn't know what to do. I was left with two kids, one of them a new vampire, and that was something I'd never dealt with before. I didn't know what to do. I still sometimes feel like I don't know what I'm doing."

Stefan rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat, trying to hold back what Elena guessed were tears.

"And I'm rambling," he finished. "Sorry. Once I started I couldn't stop."

"You don't have to be sorry," Elena replied gently. "And I think you're doing a great job as a father, even without Jane."

"Even though Luke is…" Stefan mumbled.

"Luke is his own person, Stefan. You can't be held accountable for his actions."

Stefan's leaf-green eyes searched Elena's face, and Elena comfortably held his gaze. His eyes were appreciative, thoughtful, and more than anything, friendly.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"For listening to me. And for being a friend."

And at that, any jealousy and sense of discomfort Elena had felt vanished. The man in front of her was still the Stefan she remembered, but Elena finally recognized that any romanticism they had once shared was gone. Stefan was, and would forever remain, nothing more to her than her good, good friend. He had left Mystic Falls only to fall in love with a woman who would always hold his heart, and even though that woman was gone, no one would be able to come between them.

Elena thought of Damon and smiled. Maybe the love they shared wasn't quite as strong as what Stefan and Jane had felt, but she knew it certainly had the potential to reach that level. They would work at it, and if it was meant to be, she and Damon would spend the rest of their lives together. If it wasn't meant to be, they would go their separate ways. But for the time being, Elena put her thoughts on the future away and focused on the present.

"Hey Stefan?" Elena finally uttered.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you're home."

Stefan smiled.

* * *

"Hello?"

Damon stood impatiently, knocking hard and fast on Emma's door. He, Stefan, Elena, Caroline, and Gen all waited on the old, chipped front porch of the witch's farmhouse, eagerly awaiting the first appearance of the only hope they had left.

From the corner of his eye, Damon watched his little brother with concern. Stefan had been silent for most of the car ride, letting out long, shaky sighs every now and then. It had been quite the contrast to the Stefan he had been last night; he had seemed eager, hopeful, overwhelmed with anticipation. And now… he was as expressionless as the gray, overcast sky that loomed above them.

Damon knocked again, and this time the clunk and clang of the door being unlocked could be heard. The peeling green door creaked open, and a petite woman with dark, creamy skin peeked out. Her warm, chestnut eyes met Damon confidently.

"Are you Emma?" Damon asked warily.

She nodded, then unlocked the screen door.

"Come in," Emma said, her lips breaking into a small smile. "I've been waiting for you to arrive."

The group sauntered into her living room, observing the walls which were laden with family photos and other objects that gave glimpses of the witch's life. The home was cluttered but it offered a comforting and relaxed aura, making it easier for the group to feel at ease.

Emma sat down on the leather couch, joining the others.

"So," she said with a smile, her eyes crinkling around the edges, "tell me why you're here."

Damon opened his mouth to speak, but Stefan beat him to it and uttered quickly, "We need another cure for vampirism."

The smile on Emma's face faded and she raised her eyebrows with unspoken surprise.

"Well," she replied. "That's quite a request. Why is it you need a cure? Is it for yourself? For anyone else in this room besides the young girl?"

Stefan shook his head, lowering his eyes. "No. It's for my son."

"Your son?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to elaborate on that?"

Stefan rubbed his hand across his face and explained, as best as he could, what had happened with him and Jane, how they had turned human, had children, and eventually how one child had turned "bad".

"The cure, the same one my wife and I got so long ago, is as far as I know the only way to save him, to bring him back. We were told that you're the most powerful witch around, which makes me believe you would be the only one able to make the cure, like Bonnie did. But… I mean no offense, but I have this feeling that you won't be able to help me- _us_."

_Stefan_, Damon thought, _have a little hope_.

Emma exhaled slowly and leaned back into the couch, wringing her hands together.

"What has happened to your son is unfortunate, and I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid you're right. I can't help you the way you want me to. I can't make a cure. I don't have the power to do that. Bonnie Bennett was one of a kind, and to be honest I'm surprised word of her cure didn't spread any farther than it did."

"It spread far enough to cause the death of my wife."

"Yes, that's true, and again, I'm so very sorry. I am," Emma said softly.

Damon watched his brother's face twist into a mask of hopelessness. He wanted more than anything to tell his little brother that it was okay, that everything would work out. But Damon knew, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, that any chance of saving Luke had been shattered. In an attempt to comfort his brother, Damon lightly patted Stefan on the back.

"We'll figure something else out," he muttered. "There's gotta be something."

But when Stefan turned to look at his brother, Damon knew his words of encouragement had had no effect on his sibling. His brother's eyes were wide, glossy, and apprehensive.

"I don't know what to do anymore," Stefan murmured. "I'm running out of options."

Gen reached across and took her father's hand, saying, "It's alright, dad. Damon is right. There's gotta be something, _anything_ that can help Luke."

Damon watched Gen carefully, and her expression told the opposite of the words that had just come out of her mouth. Her glance towards Damon was solemn.

"What_ can_ you do?" Caroline finally asked, breaking the oppressive silence.

"I… the most intricate spell I've ever done is... brought someone back from the dead, but not like Miss Bonnie did."

"What do you mean 'not like Bonnie did'?"

"Bonnie brought someone back without anyone taking the place of the deceased. I brought a young girl back, but her uncle had to take her place. It's a trade off, really. One can be resurrected, but not without someone else paying the price."

"Oh," the blonde gravely replied.

"Stefan," Emma said warmly while turning to look at the vampire, "I don't know everything about your son, but I've gathered a few things about him from your mind and… there is still reason to hope. I can say with confidence that I do still believe that your son, the one you know and love, is still in there. You just have to dig deep enough to pull him up to the surface."

"How do I do that?" Stefan asked, his voice laced with growing anticipation.

"I don't know. I think that's something you have to figure out yourself."

Damon watched his brother once more, wishing he could read Stefan's thoughts. He believed Emma. Sure, he had never met his nephew, but Luke was Stefan's kid, which meant that he couldn't be _so_ far gone that he couldn't be pulled back. If Luke was anything like his father, there was still a hint of the "old" him that could be reached, and Damon was determined to grasp a hold of it.

_We'll figure something out, Stefan_, Damon thought. _I promise you_.

* * *

**Hi! Thanks again for the responses! Sorry it took me a little longer to get this chapter up, but hopefully the next one will be up faster. Please, please leave some reviews! I want to know what you guys think. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

_"What do you think it's like?" Luke asked._

_"What?"_

_"Being one of them… being like mom and dad."_

_"I don't know."_

_Gen set her book down, settled deeper into the couch, and waited for her brother to go on with the conversation. He had the look; the deliberate, prudent, brood that told Gen something serious was going through that head of his. Luke did that often, and Gen liked to remind him that he would be an excellent philosopher._

_"Luke?"_

_He rubbed his hands together, looking sternly at the floor._

_"What's going to happen to us, Gen?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I mean… we'll grow old, maybe die of old age, and then what happens, do we still turn? Will we be 86 years old for the rest of eternity?"_

_"That's a long ways away, considering we're only 15."_

_"That's not my point."_

_"I know, I know."_

_Gen pondered his question, realizing he had finally brought up something she had wondered about for years. He had done it; he had finally asked the question neither of them had previously dared to._

_"I don't know, Luke."_

_He ran a hand through his thick hair, sighing and picking at a thread on his shirt._

_"Would you want to be one? A vampire?"_

_"I guess I wouldn't mind."_

_That was a lie, and Gen bit her tongue. Why? Why was she lying to him? Was it because she was ashamed to admit she didn't want to be like her parents? She didn't _think_ so. After all, her parents had openly admitted they didn't want their children to be vampires._

_"Oh," he said._

_"Why? Would you want to be one?"_

_"I don't know. I don't… I don't think so."_

_Gen sadly smiled. She had always admired her brother's honestly, and she could tell that talking about this made him a little uncomfortable. If he could be honest, why couldn't she?_

_"I'm afraid, that's all," Luke said slowly. "I'm afraid something is going to happen and I'll turn. I'm afraid that if that happens I'll lose myself."_

_"You won't," Gen promised. "And…"_

_"And what?"_

_"And if you do turn, and you start to lose yourself, I'll do everything I can to get you back. I promise, okay?"_

_Luke smiled, shrugging like her promise was no big deal. Gen knew, though, that a calmness had settled over the tugging apprehension her brother had felt. He could relax; someone would watch his back if something were to happen. After all, his sister had made a promise, and she didn't break promises._

_No matter what happened, Gen would always watch out for him._

* * *

Katherine sat quietly in the back of the bar, twirling a curly piece of hair around her finger. Her eyes lingered on the young vampire with dark blonde hair and blue eyes, and she absently licked her lips. If the rumors were true, this vampire wasn't just anyone. He was Stefan Salvatore's son.

She had heard quite a bit about him at this point. Stefan's family was somewhat of an urban legend to the vampire world. Vampires who had turned human? It was unheard of. But, the proof was there. Not much was known about his daughter, but his son, whether others actually believed he was his biological child or not, had gone off the deep end. Like father like son, some said. Ruthless, arrogant, yet clever… just a few of the adjectives fellow vampires had used to describe him. Katherine found his "ripper" connection to his father amusing, but mostly intriguing. She had decided that perhaps this boy was someone worth talking to and had tracked him from Ohio to a small bar just outside Mystic Falls.

Gracefully, she stood up and strode over to where Luke was seated. He sat looking hollowly at his drink, tilting the glass to mix the strong liquid.

"It's a little late to be drinking, don't you think?" Katherine asked smoothly, slinking closer to the vampire.

"Alcohol seems to help any situation nowadays," Luke responded coolly, not bothering to glance at the brunette.

"Can't say I disagree. I enjoy a good drink, just like your father did."

This time, Luke slowly turned to look at Katherine, his gaze icy and distant. For a moment, Katherine considered stepping back, for his intense stare _did_ intimidate her. But she put her chin up and held his gaze, determined not to let some youngling force her to step down. He was strong; she could gather that much, but Katherine would not let him dominate her.

"Mmm… let me think… Katherine?" Luke muttered, his voice clearly expressing disinterest.

"How'd you guess?" Katherine said lazily, a grin forming.

"My father has told me enough about you and- _Elena_ that I can tell the difference. Something tells me Elena would be a little less… outright. And, well, you have quite the reputation. The first vampire to turn human and then turn right back, isn't that right?"

Katherine pursed her lips, remembering her short-lived days as a human. She shuddered.

"It was awful being human. I hated it."

"I don't blame you."

She smirked.

"I have to ask though- what is it you're doing in Mystic Falls? Come to wreck havoc in your father's home town?"

He chuckled. "You think I would tell you what I'm doing?"

"No, but we happen to have some things in common. You have quite the reputation too, you know. Maybe I could help."

Luke stared ahead, tapping his fingers on the counter. Katherine stared at him with anticipation. Maybe, just_ maybe_, he would believe her lie. She found it quite easy to manipulate those who were lost and couldn't think for themselves, and Luke easily fit that persona.

He stood up, and Katherine had to look up to meet his eyes. Her hands began to shake, and she clenched her fists, unwilling to turn away. Luke licked his lips, moved in closer so his lips were just inches away from hers.

Then, leisurely, he whispered, "_No_."

Katherine glanced away and let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Apparently he wasn't as dumb as she thought he was, and now _she_ was the one who felt like a fool.

"You're going to kill them, aren't you?" she spat out.

He half-turned to glance at her. "No."

"Oh_ please_, Luke. I've been down this road before. I know what it's like to be in your shoes. And if you're anything like your father… heh, well, that's a whole 'nother story. Admit it. You're going to kill them. Your sister, your father… they'll be dead because of you. Is that really what you want?"

Luke shook his head, sighing.

"You're wrong."

"Then _I'll_ kill them," Katherine said quickly, trying to trigger a reaction. "I'll kill your sister. I'll make your father watch."

"No," Luke whispered harshly, taking a step toward her, anger creeping across his face.

_Finally_, Katherine thought,_ a reaction._

But this time, his expression _was_ enough to make her step back. His eyes were fierce, frightening, but something else was behind them… was it panic? Fear? Was Luke actually beginning to panic at the thought of losing his family?

"That's my job," Luke said, his face relaxing again, a mask being put up as he regained composure. "You try to kill Gen before I do, you'll be dead before you hit the ground."

"Right," Katherine mumbled.

Though she acted as if his threat meant nothing, Katherine did believe him.

_He really will kill me_, Katherine thought. _He won't hesitate. And I'll bet he won't hesitate to kill his family._

Without so much as a second thought, she turned and ran into the night towards the boarding house. She had heard that the Mystic Falls "gang" was back, and she would let them know. Why? Because after so many years, Katerina Petrova had had a _slight_ change of heart.

* * *

"Elena?" Gen asked, confused.

"No, not Elena. I'm much prettier than Elena."

Gen stared at the brunette identical to her father's ex and good friend. Her name… what was her name? Gen went through her head, trying to place who this person was. Lexi? No. Jules? No. _Katherine_. That was it.

Katherine's smile was warm, but her eyes were dead, disinterested.

"Can I come in?"

From behind Gen came Stefan, along with Elena, Damon, and Caroline, who had all grown closer and more comfortable with each other over the past few days. Upon seeing Stefan, Katherine's eyes softened, prompting a sigh from the younger Salvatore brother.

"Yes, you can come in," he muttered, carefully considering that the last time he had seen Katherine, she had been surprisingly kind.

She strode in confidently, inspecting the front room before plopping down on the couch and crossing her legs.

Patting the spot next to her on the couch, Kat said, "Come sit. We need to talk."

So they sat, Gen taking a spot next to Stefan who smiled at her as she sat down, Elena and Damon sitting closer than ever, and Caroline sharing a look of question with her best friend. Katherine smiled smugly at the group, and Gen had to wonder what exactly it was this now ancient vampire wanted.

"You'll never guess who I ran into just outside of town last night." Kat's voice was tight and strained despite her relaxed stance. "A young vampire named Luke who had_ quite_ an interesting agenda, if I do say so myself."

"Luke?" Gen spoke up, her heart beginning to race. Luke was around Mystic Falls?

"Yes, your brother."

"What did he want?" Caroline asked, her eyebrows creased.

Kat sighed, picked at the end of a strand of hair and muttered, "He wants to kill his sister."

"Me?" Gen asked, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. No, that couldn't be right. Luke wouldn't kill her… would he?

"That's right. I finally got it out of him. So- you know, I just thought I'd warn you, that's all. I would guess he'll be coming soon, considering he saw me leave the bar pretty quickly."

In the center of her chest, Gen felt an ache begin to grow and expand. She thought of Luke; Luke who had promised to never hurt Gen, who had nearly cried the first time he had shed someone else's blood… she remembered the sweet, innocent boy that was her brother and could not imagine him as a monster terrible enough to take her life. It was impossible, and Gen felt an anger mending with the ache.

"You're lying."

"I'm not," Katherine responded, shrugging.

"Well what are we supposed to do?"

Stefan cleared his throat and uttered, "We won't let anything happen to you, Gen. I promise you that. If he comes tonight, we'll be prepared."

"I think," Damon began, "that we should let him come to us. When he does so, we'll gang up and try to vervain him with a syringe. If we can get him down, even for a few minutes, that opens up new opportunities. It seems like we're on a little bit of a time crunch now. Stefan, do you think that works?"

Stefan nodded, surprising Gen with how quickly he agreed.

"So," Katherine said smoothly, "am I in this with you guys? I swear I can help, and listen, I've changed, alright? Besides, you'll probably need the extra help."

"But why? _Why_ do you want to help?" Caroline asked, a hint of disbelief lacing her voice.

"I… I'm bored. And this is interesting. I live for drama, in case you haven't noticed. So why not help out? Besides, I've dealt with situations like this. Plus… Luke is pretty cute. You could say I have a soft spot for him."

Stefan and Gen rolled their eyes.

A long, pregnant pause stretched on, and finally Damon said, "I don't see why not. But you pull anything, you're gone. Got it?"

"Got it."

An uneasiness tugged at Genevieve as she took in Katherine. There was something about her that had made Gen instantly distrust her, but she couldn't quite place what that was. Maybe it was partly because of some of the things her father had told her, but her gut told her it was something else.

_I hope you're one of the good guys_, Gen thought._ I'd hate to imagine what would happen if you weren't._

* * *

**Hi! Things have been coming together pretty good with this, and I would guess that this story should be wrapped up in the next 2, 3 (****_maybe_**** 4) chapters. Please, please,****_ please_**** let me know what you guys think. I know I've said it before but your reviews really inspire me to keep writing. :) Thanks everyone for the support, and I'll try to update soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

The sun was just beginning to set as Damon poured himself a drink. The gentle light exhibited the dust floating through the air, and the familiarity made the oldest Salvatore smile. Despite everything that was happening, Damon really did enjoy being back in Mystic Falls; he really did enjoy seeing his brother.

Luke had not come as Katherine predicted. They had all stayed awake, save Gen, who had slept on the couch in the presence of the others. Stefan had expressed that Katherine's information did not surprise him; he had admitted that he stopped following Luke for the fear that he would carry out his promise to kill his sister. Though there was some ambiguity, Damon knew by the look in his brother's eyes that Luke would not hesitate to kill. The seed of doubt was slowly being destroyed and replaced by the full acceptance of Luke's threat.

Though the question of when Luke would show still lingered, Damon had a looming feeling of dread that only grew stronger as the sun was replaced by the moon. He had armed himself with a vervain syringe and would be as ready as he could be to strike. The plan was flawed, he knew, but as it had been determined at Emma's, they were out of options. Elena had assured him it would work. There was no question; it had to work.

Even Katherine seemed confident of the strategy, which had taken Damon by surprise. He had expected Katherine to criticize and pick apart his plan, but she had instead agreed it was the best option. Damon had taken the moment they had together to ask her again why it was she was present and helping.

"I told you, Damon. I'm bored. And part of me still has a soft spot for Stefan, which makes me have a soft spot for his kids," she had said dryly. "Just trust me. I can help you fix this."

Though he would never admit it to anyone but himself, Damon believed her.

Sighing, he set down his drink and sauntered past the couch on which Gen was sleeping again. When he reached the stairs, he looked back at his niece and sadly smiled. What would it have been like if he and Stefan had never gotten in that fight? Would Damon have been able to meet Stefan's wife? Would he have been able to see his niece and nephew grow and become young adults? Fuzzy, imagined memories of two young children running around the boarding house invaded Damon's mind. He longed for the opportunities that had long past.

But he had the present, and he would protect Gen while saving Luke.

Damon ascended the stairs, tracing his fingers along the walls. As he walked down the hallway, he saw Elena and Caroline talking and nudging each other as they looked through some sort of book in the guest room Caroline was staying in.

He stopped, and Elena looked up. Her eyes were soft, loving, and behind her smile was a hint of secretiveness and genuinity. In many ways, Elena was still the girl he had met on Wickery Bridge so many years ago. In many ways, she wasn't. He knew as well as she did that their future was uncertain, but they lived each moment like it was their last when they were together. In all honestly, that was the way Damon liked it.

He continued on until he reached Stefan's room. The door was cracked, and he pushed it open, finding Stefan sitting on the edge of his bed, looking through an old journal.

"You should really take those, you know. I was gonna throw them away when Elena and I first moved back."

His little brother smirked, then set the journal down next to him on the bed.

"Honestly… they don't mean a whole lot to me anymore. I feel like such a different person now. I almost don't recognize myself when I read them."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Damon asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"A little bit of both, I think."

"That's understandable."

The brothers were silent as Damon shuffled over to Stefan's desk, where he sat in the worn-down computer chair. Stefan continued to stare at his big brother, a look of curiosity in his eyes.

"Gen is a good a kid," Damon finally said, a grin growing. "And I haven't met Luke, but I'm sure after this is all cleared up and I get to properly meet him… I'll find he's a good kid, too."

"Yeah," Stefan murmured at barely a whisper. "I didn't think I'd ever get to see Luke do something like this. It's just… what he's really like, it's not at all like what he is now. I guess I don't understand how someone can change so much."

He tilted his head.

"Is this what you thought of me when I… went over the edge?"

Damon thought for a moment, taken aback by Stefan's question. He had never really thought about what he_ felt_ when Stefan went over the edge; it had always been about how to get him back. It had troubled the elder Salvatore to see his brother struggle, but Damon had learned pretty quickly not to get too attached to his brother while he was "away".

He shrugged.

"In a way, I suppose. Did you ever want them to be vampires?"

Stefan shook his head.

"No, never. Jane and I both wanted them to live as normal lives as possible. When Luke changed- I felt… _really_ awful. Like I had let him down, whether he really wanted to be a vampire or not. I feel like it's my fault."

"It's not your fault," Damon said with a harshness to his voice. When would his brother stop blaming himself?

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't," Stefan replied slowly. "The point is, I have to help him now, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

He grimaced.

"It scares me sometimes, actually- how much I'm willing to do and sacrifice for them. But I guess that's the point. I guess you're supposed to sacrifice some things so they can have a good life, you know?"

Damon simply nodded. The truth was he didn't know, but he would take his brother's word for it.

"And… if Luke wanted to kill Gen… wouldn't he technically have to kill her twice? Wouldn't she just turn if he killed her once?" Damon asked.

"I think a stake through the heart the first time takes care of it. If he does that…" Stefan rubbed the back of his neck. "She won't wake up."

"Well, Stefan," Damon said confidently. "You'll be glad to know we're all on the same page here. We're all willing to help you get your son back and save Gen."

His little brother nodded happily.

The brothers stayed in Stefan's room long into the night, catching up and discussing with a tint of sadness what their lives had been for the past 50 years.

* * *

Gen awoke in a cold sweat, her hands shaking. Though she could not remember her dream, she knew by the lurch in her stomach it had not been pleasant. In front of her sat Stefan, whose head was bowed and whose breathing was steady with deep sleep. Damon, Elena, Katherine, and Caroline were nowhere to be found, but she guessed they were upstairs sleeping or, well… whatever it was vampires did at night.

Cheeks flushed, Gen stood up and stumbled to the front door, slowly opening it in hopes of avoiding a creak that would wake her father.

Despite the warm season, the air was surprisingly cool outside, and Genevieve walked to the middle of the driveway where she stretched her aching and sleep-ridden joints. The moon hung high in the air, and in the distance the faint song of crickets could be heard. The whole atmosphere relaxed Gen, and she let her still heavy eyelids drift close.

_Peace at last_, she thought wryly.

Ahead of her, she heard soft, muffled footsteps. Her eyes flicked open.

"Luke," she breathed, a hint of shock to her voice.

Luke stood in her direct line of vision, his expression calm despite his blotchy face and slightly bloodshot eyes. His blue eyes were dead, soulless, and Gen felt a twinge of fear pierce her.

He stepped toward her, determination etching his features.

"Luke, please," she said slowly, as if she were talking to a child. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do." His voice was scratchy.

"No, no you don't. You're confused, okay? You're lost… but that doesn't mean that no one is looking for you. You can come home; we're not angry. We just want the old you back."

"But that's just it. You keep trying to fix me._ You can't._ You won't be able to, no matter how hard you try. And I won't let you waste your life," Luke replied, desperation lacing his words. "You're better off dead than having wasted your life trying to save me."

"And you're wrong again," Gen said sadly. "I promised I'd save you, remember?"

Luke only shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Genevieve. I really am."

He lunged, and Gen let out a scream.

* * *

"Faster, daddy! Faster!"

The girl looked expectantly at her father, waiting for him to push the swing faster. Her dark hair gleamed under the soft summer sunlight, and her short 4-year-old legs awkwardly tried to pump herself higher.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

She turned her head to smile at him. Her eyes, as green as the leaves on the oak tree near them, were wide with excitement.

"Daddy!"

He smiled back at her, laughter escaping his lips.

"Dad!"

But something wasn't right. Her words were desperate, panicked.

"_Dad_!"

Stefan gasped, sitting straight up in his chair. The scream has finally pierced his dream, and he stood up, sprinting towards the door. Behind him, Damon, Elena, Caroline, and Katherine followed.

They rushed through the door, and with horror, Stefan saw Gen clutching her bloodied wrist. She lay on her back, and kneeling on her chest cavity was Luke. Gasping for breath, Gen tried to push Luke away with her good hand, but the action had no success.

Stefan stood there, his panic and shock making him unable to act. Finally, Damon lunged at Luke, knocking the young vampire off his sister and onto the ground. The two kicked, scratched, and clawed each other, all while Damon tried to get Luke, who was gaining on Damon, down.

Elena, Caroline, and Stefan ran to Gen, who was coughing and sputtering. Katherine remained still, watching with curiosity and sternness.

Upon seeing Luke above his own brother, Stefan ran to assist Damon and grabbed Luke's arms, pulling him onto the ground where Luke began to turn his anger on his father. He swung, and with a crack, his fist connected with Stefan's face. Stefan fell to his back, clutching his bloodied nose and split lip.

Merciless, Luke stood and drove his foot into his father's side. Stefan reached out, trying to grab his son's leg but was too dizzy to get a firm grasp.

Luke reached inside his jacket and pulled out a stake.

Stefan's heart began to pound.

His son stood above him, spite and vengeance behind his eyes. He lifted his arm, preparing to strike. His arm drove downward, and Stefan closed his eyes.

_This is it_, he thought._ I'm going to die at the hands of my son_.

But before the stake fully met Stefan's chest, Elena, Caroline, and Damon came behind Luke and rushed him, forcing the stake out of his hand.

Stefan breathed a sigh of relief until he noticed Katherine approaching a doubled-over Gen. With swiftness and no hesitation, Katherine placed her hands around Gen's head and twisted, making a sickening crack echo through the yard.

All went silent.

Stefan fell to his knees once again, his hands shaking.

No, he thought. No no nononono….

Gen, his little Genevieve, was dead. But she couldn't be. Gen had so much to live for. She was going to school; she was going to graduate in only a year. Her hopes and dreams and goals had all depended on her being human, and now…

Stefan stifled a sob. Like he had lost Luke, he had lost Gen. She would wake again, but she would be changed.

_Katherine_.

Stefan turned to face her, his cheeks flushing with red-hot anger. He wanted to scream, to strangle her, to tear her apart… but when he tried to yell at her, all that came out was a soft "go".

"I did what I had to, Stefan! Look at Luke!" Katherine spat back. "I told you I would get him back, and I did. Gen will be fine."

"Go," Stefan said again, his voice rising.

So Katherine went.

_Luke_.

Stefan turned to look at his son. His face was twisted into a sorrowful scowl, and his mouth hung open with shock. Short gasps escaped his lips, and tears began to fall down his face. Fingers shaking, he ran his hand across his face and fell on his bottom.

The death of his sister had made the old Luke resurface.

"I… I-," Luke couldn't finish his sentence, for Damon grabbed the syringe from his coat and plunged it into the side of his nephew's neck. Luke collapsed on the pavement.

_Gen_.

Stefan found his daughter and slowly walked over to her body. With delicacy, he brushed her hair out of her face and twisted her head back into a normal position. Short glimpses of the girl in the alley passed his vision, but they were blurred out by the swelling tears in his eyes. He let out a long breath and tried to hide his despair.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, loud enough for only himself to hear.

Gently, he reached under Gen and lifted her small frame. His eyes met Damon's.

"Bring Luke inside. Put him in the cellar," Stefan muttered.

Heartbroken, Stefan carried his daughter's body inside.

* * *

**Hi everyone! I'm quite happy with how this chapter turned out, but let me know what you think in the reviews! I appreciate any comments. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_How will we explain to him… What will he think?… Will he be himself?… Luke, please… It's okay, son…_

With a hint of soreness, Luke struggled to sit up and found himself in an unfamiliar setting. Around him the air was stale, and he coughed, feeling an unsettling dryness in his throat. The walls around him were dark, but in front of him loomed a soft glow of light seeping between what looked to be metal bars.

_I should know what this is,_ Luke thought. _What did dad say about keeping vampires locked away?_

It suddenly dawned on him that if, in fact, he were still at the boarding house, odds were he was in the cellar.

A sigh escaped his lips. _Why_ was it he was in the cellar? _Why_ was he at the boarding house? His mind searched aimlessly for a reason for his captivity, but no matter how hard he tried to remember, he could not fully grasp hold of the situation at hand.

As Luke began to lean back against the wall, he caught a glimpse of a bottle filled with red liquid near the door. His joints and limbs protested as he crawled towards the bottle, but he finally got a hold of it and twisted the cap open, letting the sweet smell of blood blur his mind. With an intense eagerness, Luke put the bottle to his lips and took a long sip, only to quickly spit the liquid out with disgust.

Something was_ horribly_ wrong with this blood. It was smelled pungently of roadkill, and he quickly began to understand why. It was animal blood; it did not fulfill his undying hunger, and it left Luke with a yearning for _real_ blood, not this sorry excuse for food.

He tossed the bottle back at the door, grunting when the two connected with a loud thump.

"That's all you're going to get, you know."

The young vampire glanced up, fully recognizing whom that voice belonged to.

"Dad."

Stefan's face came into view between the metal bars, and for a moment a hint of relief passed through Luke. His dad was here; surely everything would be okay, wouldn't it?

"Do you know why you're here?" Stefan's voice was tired, strained. It was unlike him to sound that way, and Luke cocked his head with growing curiosity.

"I…" He struggled for words, again trying to grab a hold of any sort of memory. "No."

"Gen turned, remember?" Stefan asked, raising his eyebrows.

And suddenly, in what seemed like only a fraction of a second, Luke _did_ remember. He remembered being outside, talking to Gen, and attacking his sister with a ferocity that had terrified even himself. He remembered each and every life he had taken and the euphoria that came along with each kill. The screams, the kills, the _blood_… it all began to cloud in Luke's mind and he gently clutched his head, wishing he could simply forget all over again. Genevieve was a vampire because of his mistakes, and a broad anger began to spread in him. It was his fault; all of it.

Luke did not realize he was crying until he looked up again at his father.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but he knew it was more than that. Sorry was used when you made a mistake you could fix; what he felt now was much more than just a '_sorry_'. "I'm really sorry."

He tucked his knees to his chest and rubbed his hands across his face, trying his best wipe away the tears. The sound of the door opening could barely be heard over his gasping for breath. Luke suddenly became aware of the figure sitting to his right, and he glanced at his father who had a hint of a sad smile left on his face.

"I know you're sorry," Stefan said calmly. "I know how it feels to be so overcome with guilt that you just… you think it'd be easier not to exist. You've made some mistakes, but where you go from here answers the question of whether or not you can make up for those mistakes."

Luke looked solemnly at his father.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Stefan continued, "that you can chose to be miserable and self-loathing for the rest of your life, or you can try to atone for your mistakes, ask for forgiveness, and try to do better this time."

"I can't be forgiven."

"Yes, you can. But you first have to forgive yourself. You're going to do stupid things in your life, but you have to learn to let those things go. It may take a while, but that's what you have to do. Trust me. If I had never forgiven myself I never would have met your mother."

Luke stared at Stefan, understanding beginning to creep between the two. The younger Salvatore was beginning to get where his father was coming from, but a deep ache still lingered in his chest.

"What about Gen?" he asked quietly, unsure of whether or not broaching the subject was a good idea.

"Gen's alright. She's handling it quite well, actually."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Maybe in a little bit. We're going to let the human blood leave your system, and then we'll let you go. After that you can talk to her."

Luke nodded, silently willing the human blood in his system to move faster. He knew quite well that if he was ever going to forgive himself, he first had to get forgiveness from Gen.

* * *

"Hey, how are you doing?"

Elena walked slowly into Stefan's room where Gen was seated on her father's bed. The newly turned vampire looked surprisingly happy, and Elena felt a hint of jealousy pass through her. Why couldn't_ her_ transition have been this easy? She quickly pushed the idea out of her head.

"Pretty good, actually," Gen replied, a small smile playing her lips.

Elena nodded, genuinely relieved that things were going so well for Stefan's daughter. In a way, she saw a little bit of herself in Gen, and that only furthered her feelings of protectiveness over the girl. Genevieve had a natural optimism within her, and Elena found that to be something worth admiring.

"I'm assuming your dad has shown you the ropes, or at least told you everything you need to know?" Elena questioned.

Gen nodded.

"And you've fed already?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "I have."

Elena smiled and muttered, "I know it's not easy the first time. I- I had a hard time for a while, but your dad helped me through it. He was… he was good at teaching me everything, so trust me, if anyone is going to show you how to function, it should be him."

"So you were still with my dad at that time?" Gen asked.

Swallowing her surprise at the question, Elena nodded slowly. "Yes, we were still together at that point."

"How did things end?"

"I fell in love with Damon, and it wasn't fair to drag Stefan along like that. He ended it with me, technically, but it was sort of a mutual thing."

Gen picked at a thread on her pants, opened her mouth as if to say something, then quickly closed it again.

"What?" Elena asked, eyeing the girl suspiciously.

"It's just that…" Gen's blushed. "There's a guy at school who I started to develop feelings for. I love him, I really do. But now… he's human, Elena. I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with that. And I don't really want to talk to my dad about this because, well… he's my dad."

Elena only uttered, "Oh."

She thought for a moment.

"I think… Common sense would tell you to walk away, right? But love doesn't always let us do that. I think of your dad and I. He would have walked away, had it not been for our love at the time, but he didn't, and it was wonderful. I got to experience so many things that… were extraordinary."

"So what are you saying I should do?" Gen asked.

"I hate to say it, but I think you have to decide that for yourself. There are pros and cons to each option, so you just have to figure out what's best for the both of you."

"Alright," Gen whispered. "Thanks."

A silence stretched between the two, and then, finally Gen spoke with a hint of sadness, "Everything is going change isn't it?"

Locking her brown eyes with Genevieve's green eyes, Elena whispered, "Yes."

Suddenly, an idea popped into Elena's head, and she grabbed Gen's hand, leading her out and up onto the roof despite Gen's protests. Elena moved freely and confidently, but Gen stood rigid, her eyes wide at the ground beneath them.

"What are we doing?" Gen mumbled nervously, her hands trembling slightly. "I don't really care for heights."

"Just trust me," Elena replied, twirling slightly. "I want to show you that being a vampire can be fun."

And with that, she pushed off with every ounce of strength she had. Her leap carried her high into the air until gravity took its toll and pulled her down onto the grass where she landed as gracefully as a cat.

Still high off of the adrenaline rush, Elena called, "Jump! C'mon, it's fun!"

So Gen, after only a small moment of hesitation, leaped as Elena did, soaring through the air before landing on her feet. Her eyes were now wide with excitement and her eyes joyful. A wide smile was plastered across her face, and a light, musical laugh escaped her lips.

"It's almost euphoric, isn't it?" Gen said breathlessly. "I almost don't believe I just did that."

Elena smiled back at the girl and placed her arm around Gen's shoulders.

"Believe me," Elena said. "There is so much more we can do."

* * *

**Hi everyone! This chapter is a little uneventful and a bit shorter than others, but hopefully it still satisfies. There will be one more chapter after this, so stick around for that. Please review! :) **


	9. Chapter 9

It took Stefan a few moments to notice the brunette lounging in the corner of his room. He had just come back from helping his daughter learn to feed when Katherine, who had absently been twirling a piece of hair around her finger, coughed to get Stefan's attention. He glanced once in her direction, then turned to his desk where he tried make it look as if he had something remarkably important to do.

"You can at least look at me," Katherine muttered, uncrossing her legs and elegantly striding over to where Stefan fumbled with a former journal. "Or at least… attack me, or something. Anything, really, would be okay at this point."

But Stefan continued to stare down at his desk, his lips pressed so tightly together they were nothing but a thin, white line. He knew that if he opened his mouth, the stream of expletives would be unstoppable. Yet, surprisingly, after a moment of composure, Stefan was able to take a shaky breath and look up at the doppelganger. She smirked.

"Finally, a reaction."

"You're the last person I want to talk to," Stefan spat out, his words harshly incriminating. Part of him expected her to apologize, to express her regret for killing his daughter, but of course, this was_ the_ Katherine Pierce, and the last thing she did was _apologize_. Her small smile only furthered Stefan's growing hatred, and he clenched his fist. "Leave, please."

"I need you to listen to me, Stefan," Katherine said, her words suddenly expressing urgency. "I'm leaving, not that you care, but I just wanted to make sure you know I saved your son."

Stefan chuckled wryly, muttering, "You may have made him flip his switch, but you seem to be forgetting you killed my _daughter_ in the process."

"Right, but I saved your son."

"Right, but you killed my daughter."

The two vampires stared at each other, both refusing to break the intense glare they held. Finally, Katherine let out an exasperated sigh.

"Alright. You wanna know the real reason I came here?"

Stefan raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"I came to apologize. Yes, I killed Gen. I knew she would turn, but it wasn't in my right to make that decision for her, or whatever. So I'm sorry. There, I said it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "_Well?_"

"I…" Stefan didn't know what exactly to say. Sure, he was grateful for her apology, but there was still remnants of a full-blown hatred brewing within him. After many years, Stefan had finally learned and accepted that he was not the type to easily forgive.

"Thank you for your apology," he muttered, and Katherine nodded. There was nothing more to be said.

She turned on her heel and walked out, slightly swaying her hips with confidence the way she always did. Though there was still a hint of doubt, Stefan was somewhat sure this was the last time he would see Katherine for a long time.

He was right.

* * *

After changing clothes and making himself look somewhat presentable, Luke walked from the cellar to the front parlor. He knew who would be waiting for him there, and his mind worked through the endless ways to approach his sister. 'I'm sorry' was certainly an option, but the two words could not even begin to express how he truly felt; he did not believe there were any words to really say what he thought. His hands began to shake with an uncontrollable nervousness.

And then, all too soon, he was standing in the parlor and looking at _her_. All of the things he had thought to say vanished, and he was left with his mouth hung half-way open. Genevieve looked up at him, and to Luke's surprise and overwhelming relief, smiled. He exhaled slowly, drawing a hand over his face.

"Hi," was all he could manage to say.

"Hi," she said back, and patted the spot next to her on the couch. His legs easily carried him over.

"I'm sorry," he murmured before he could stop himself. "I'm sorry for saying I'm sorry. I should be saying more than I'm sorry-"

"Stop," Gen said, a hint of a smile still left on her face. "Just… you don't have to apologize, because it's okay. It is. Really."

But Luke was shaking his head. "How can you say it's okay? You _died_ because of me, and you're okay with it? Get angry at me, Gen. Do something."

"I'm not angry, though. You didn't kill me. Katherine did. And I am okay, that's the thing. I used to think there could be nothing worse than being a vampire, but I was wrong. I was so, so wrong."

Luke rubbed at the back of his neck and cringed. "I'm never going to be able to forgive myself." He hadn't meant to say that, but the words had already slipped out and it was too late to take them back. "Will you ever be able to forgive me?"

"I already did forgive you, Luke. You were too busy being self-loathing to notice," Gen teased, lightly swatting him on the arm.

He glanced at her, a look of disbelief in his eyes. It astonished him, really; how easily Gen could forgive him. Whereas Luke had a tendency to hold grudges, Gen could not be more willing to see the good in people and forgive.

_Perhaps_, Luke thought, _It's time I learn something from her_.

"Where do we go from here?" Luke asked, smiling lightly at his sister.

"Well, I start my senior year at _college_ in a few weeks, in case your forgot about that. My roommate from last year is renting with me again. There's going to be some changes with that, obviously, but nothing I can't handle." Genevieve grinned. "You're more than welcome to visit me, you know."

"I will," Luke promised, and he meant it. He knew it would be a while before he himself would go back to college, but the unlimited amount of time ahead of him presented numerous chances to see his sister while she was away.

_I won't rush it_, Luke thought. _I'm not going to go back until I can handle it_.

"What about you?" Gen asked.

Luke looked down at his hands and shrugged. There was not even a hint of an idea in his mind of what was next for him. It didn't matter too much, of course, for time was not an issue, but it suddenly dawned on the Salvatore boy that he had no place to go.

"I haven't paid my rent for… Jesus, I don't even know any more," he muttered, silently mourning the items that had probably been tossed onto the street by his landlord.

"I'm sure you could probably stay here for a while," Gen suggested. "Uncle Damon and Elena probably wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, maybe." Luke sighed. "You're really not angry?"

"No, I'm not."

Genevieve's lips once again broke into a smile, and she wrapped an arm around Luke's shoulders. They sat in a comfortable silence for the remainder of the morning, each anticipating the days ahead of them.

* * *

"So, Stefan. Will you be staying here?" Damon questioned, hopeful. "I mean… I wasn't gonna come right out and say it, but… you know, maybe you could stick around for a while."

His little brother smirked and set his glass down on the edge of the drink cabinet.

"Damon Salvatore, asking _me_ to stay? Never would've thought you'd say that," Stefan responded wryly.

"Listen, smart-ass, you and I still have some catching up to do. Plus, I'd like to get to know my niece and nephew a little better," Damon said, trying to hide his grin. "Just- stick around for a few days or weeks or something, alright?"

Stefan stared at the decreasing fire in the fireplace and cocked his head. For a moment, Damon worried that maybe his brother would refuse, but to his relief, his brother's mouth twisted into a small smile.

"Alright," Stefan muttered. "But only for a little while. Gen will stay, and I'm sure Luke probably will, too. He's got some… things to take care of, but hey, Mystic Falls might work for us for a little bit."

"Good. And… I know I've said this already but… they're good kids, Stefan. They really are. Despite everything, they've shown that you know how to properly raise a child, so… you know, congrats."

Stefan gave Damon an odd look and muttered, "Thanks, Damon. I think."

"I'm proud of you, Stefan. That's what I mean to say."

The younger Salvatore nodded. "Thank you."

As if on cue, Luke and Gen entered the parlor, along with Elena and Caroline. Together, they sat and talked the night away, each getting to know something new about the other. Damon glanced from Luke to Gen, and from Gen to Caroline. All three were chuckling lightly, and Damon could practically feel the happiness oozing off of them. He then looked at Elena, whose eyes reflected the joy coming off of the other three.

Finally, Damon's blue eyes met Stefan's green eyes, and they nodded at each other. Somehow, though it took many years, the Salvatore brothers had come together again, and Damon was and would forever be grateful that he had run into Genevieve at the bar that night. Surrounding him now was his family, and he promised himself that he would never let _anything_ come between them again.

With a drink in his hand and the laughter of the others surrounding him, Damon smiled.

* * *

**Hello everyone! So, this is it. I've had such a blast writing this for you all, and I really hope this last chapter sums everything up nicely for you. Please, please, ****_please_**** leave some final reviews. Each one means the world to me, and I would so appreciate any last comments. Thanks again for your continued support. :)**


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